Iron-willed
by Tala White 14
Summary: AU. After a virus turned half of the world's population into mutant monsters, Lucy struggles to survive in a world where life is meaningless. The only thing that keeps her going through all her trials and tribulations, is her goal: to reunite with her best friend. Along the way she meets people that teach her the true value of life and show her that blood does not a family make.
1. Chapter 1: Help

**A/N: Hi! So, I've been part of the Fairy Tail fandom for exactly 3 days and I love it! Because I don't know the exact extent of the storyline, I'm simply going to use the characters in this AU plot. **

**I tried to come up with something a bit more creative than zombies, but essentially it's exactly that. If this has been done before, and I'm copying somebody's story, please let me know.**

**I would love a beta, so PM me if you think you can help.**

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 1: Help

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ She felt like an idiot.

She only rested for an hour, but that had been enough time for the ghastly creatures to track her down.

The sound of her feet slapping against the hard soil, echoed in her ears alongside the overwhelming thump of her heart in her throat. Lucy's bare feet were covered in blisters and cuts from running on the rough terrain. Walking on daggers would probably be less painful than what she was enduring but unfortunately, she couldn't stop to nurse her swore feet or the hundreds of bruises all over her body. A dozen of those _things_ were right behind her.

To her right, the East, the sun was starting to sink and Lucy never felt more grateful for the prospects of darkness. To the front, a desolate little town laid in which she hoped to find a hiding spot. Her lungs burned and her muscles ached. She hadn't slept for two days, but she hadn't survived for so long to give up now. She had to keep going. At least until the first stars appeared.

The unknown town was nothing more than ruins. Perhaps there was a basement still partly intact where she could hide for the time being. Rubble and scraps of furniture and… people… were scattered in the streets. No matter how creepy this place was or how much the smell of death permeated the air, she didn't have much of a choice.

A guttural bellow came from the front. The blood in her veins froze as fear shot through her body..

No….

A trap!?

"_Stupid!"_ she cursed aloud for good measure. Why hadn't she seen this coming? _How_ had she not seen this coming? What she had thought to be merely a few straggling mutant monsters, turned out to be a few straggling mutant monsters _herding _her straight into their trap. It wasn't enough that the disgusting Motts were three times as fast as a normal human or four times as strong. No! They had to be bloody intelligent too!

From behind walls and cars the Motts rose, surrounding her. She was as good as dead.

The sun was sinking agonisingly slow. Even if she had enough strength to lift her arm, never mind use her whip, she would only be stalling against the inevitable. There were so many of the creatures, too many for one girl to handle.

Her bandaged right hand was clenched into a tight fist and her left, fingered the whip at her side. Strangely, they were standing still, only watching her with hungry eyes.

The Virus. That had been the beginning of this nightmare. Advertised as a cure for all diseases had people flocking to centrums for the 'miracle'. Aids, cancer, tuberculosis, common flu… anything. Instead of making the world a better place, it caused people to regress into creatures of pure instinct. Now, distorted figures of these living-dead Mutant Monsters (or Motts, as they were referred to by the general population) prowled around searching for the uninfected. Could it really have been a mere two months?

Lucy had read many a tale during her short life. Legends of vampires, werewolves, zombies and mummies seemed to pale in comparison to the creatures she had to deal with. Faster and stronger than ordinary humans, they stalked their prey without needing rest. If a drop of their saliva were to enter your bloodstream, it wouldn't be long before you became a mindless freak as well. Luckily, that didn't happen too often. No, if you were near enough to be infected you were nothing more than scrap meat. Lucy knew. Her father had sacrificed himself to save her. She had watched how the Motts tore her father limb from limb and …. She blinked quickly as the painful memories assaulted her, tears blurring her vision. She locked the memories behind a steel door; she couldn't afford to think of that.

"Come on!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from overuse. "What are you waiting for?"

As if her show of defiance was a signal they waited for, the first row of Motts sprang into action. They lunged towards her. Summoning the last bit of her strength, she grabbed her whip and with a flick of her wrist, uncoiled it with a mighty crack. It was enough to make the Motts pause, but even a blind man could see that her last remaining energy had gone into that feeble action. Her legs buckled but she refused to die on her knees.

She steeled her eyes, staring death straight in the face like many a heroine in her books. If she had to die, she would at least die with dignity.

A cruel smile twisted the partially rotten lips of the Mott in the front. He bunched his legs and launched himself at her. Yellow teeth flashed across her vision. _This is the end_, she thought. Her whole being was numb as she waited for those disgusting teeth to sink into her flesh.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a scorching sphere of fire hurtled towards the Mott, incinerating half of its body in the blink of an eye. Before the others could take his placea woman with deep red hair appeared. She had a butcher's knife in the one hand and a makeshift axe in the other. She wore combat boots, khaki shorts and a bulletproof vest over a torn shirt that might have been white once upon a time. With a fierce cry she sprang into action. With lighting fast moves, she twirled and slashed, lopping off heads and limbs, decimating the pack of vile monsters.

Lucy could only watch. Her eyes were wide with fear and amazement. The strange woman looked as if she was dancing, even whilst hacking at killing machines. It was beautiful and terrifying. Her weapons were twin flashes of light, cutting down everything in her path.

"Watch out!" Lucy screamed a warning as a particularly agile Mott darted towards the woman's unprotected legs. She knew it was too late, though. Even if this woman was the best fighter in the world there was no way that she could fight off the dozen Motts attacking her from the front as well as the sneaky ones, waiting for any opening. The Mott had already donned a victorious grin.

Night was so close, but the reddish glow of the sun lingered. No hope. It was the end for Lucy, as well as her saviour.

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**So, Lucy and? Please let me know. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: Friendship?

**A/N: Thank you **_enchanted-nova _**and **_blog-heart-slover03 _**for the reviews! Thanks to everyone who followed or favourited.**

**I did say this would be AU, so you have been warned. Basically, only the characters will stay the same and not everybody has powers. Awesomeness will not be diminished, though. **

**I hope you enjoy the chapter. Unfortunately I'm sick, so updates might be slow and sporadic. **

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_Previous chapter:_

"Watch out!" Lucy screamed a warning as a particularly agile Mott darted towards the woman's unprotected legs. She knew it was too late, though. Even if this woman was the best fighter in the world there was no way that she could fight off the dozen Motts attacking her from the front as well as the sneaky ones, waiting for any opening. The Mott had already donned a victorious grin.

Night was so close, but the reddish glow of the sun lingered. No hope. It was the end for Lucy, as well as her saviour.

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Chapter 2: Friendship?

From behind a rusty trough, a pink-haired boy of about fifteen darted out. On a normal day that would have been a strange sight, but right then it was absolutely bizarre. The kid ran forward and to Lucy's utter astonishment, fiery ribbons of flames started coiling up his arms from his fists. "Stop!" the boy shouted and shot a jet of flames at the Mott who was seconds away from taking a chunk of flesh from the woman's leg.

"Natsu, stay back," she commanded, but the boy ignored her and jumped into the fray. Together with the woman, they were a sight to behold. They stood back-to-back and gutted Mott after Mott with twin expressions of determination. A daring Mott got too close and managed to grab a handful of the boys left sleeve. As the kid spun away, the material tore, revealing a familiar mark. Lucy's right hand tingled in response. The Mark….

The Virus had not only created an unstoppable army of monsters, but also revealed a bunch of gifted people that had been living peacefully amongst everyone else. People possessing impossible powers stepped out of the shadows to save the ordinary people from the Motts that were popping up everywhere and attacking anything that moved.

Instead of being hailed as the heroes they were trying to be, people shunned them and started blaming the whole ordeal on the _freaks_. People tended to do crazy things when put under pressure. The so-called freaks were cruelly branded with a mark, _the _Mark, shaped like a winged eye. Anyone with anything out of the ordinary was immediately ostracised and some people even started hunting them almost as diligently as they hunted the Motts. Rewards were placed on their heads encouraging bounty hunters to pursuit them. Sometimes people made Lucy sick.

It was no wonder that the red-haired woman was shooting Lucy such wary glances whilst fighting. The Motts were enough to worry about. Now her comrade's secret was out; another thing she could add to her plate of problems. The Mark was branded onto his right shoulder. A red welt that meant different things to every other person. To most it was a warning. To Lucy it was a symbol of condemnation.

Lucy's vision was getting hazy. Exhaustion succeeded into driving her to her knees. With no small amount of relief did she watch as the sun sank behind the mountains lining the horizon. The long fingers of darkness reached from the opposite side across the sky, spreading night like a comforting blanket over the world. Venus, the First Star as well as the Last Star, appeared and even thought it was in all actuality a mere planet reflecting the light of another star, Lucy felt strength seeping into her body.

She took a deep breath, savouring the rush of pure power. Light from the stars shone down on her and flowed through her veins. Bruises faded and her skin knitted together over cuts.

Refreshed with renewed energy, she cracked her whip and grinned. Her chocolate coloured eyes glittered with excitement. She attacked the nearest Mott with a ferocity that surprised her. Maybe it was the energy from the stars or maybe it was the fact that for the first time in a week she was seeing _real_ people. Not Motts or those… bastards. Actual humans. Human contact was severely underrated. The mere thought of being around other people made her heart feel lighter.

Her whip wrapped around the neck of a Mott and she pulled, swinging it into another and another. The Motts dropped like dominoes, colliding into each other or being ploughed over by the Mott still attached to Lucy's whip.

The red-haired woman was the best fighter amongst them and took on the brunt of the attack. Her fluid fighting style spoke of years of experience and practice. She made quick work of her enemies, whilst keeping a watchful eye on the boy. He, Natsu, was having the time of his life, whooping each time a Mott caught fire. His cheeks were flushed as he used his amazing powers to his heart's content. He seemed almost disappointed when the woman mowed down the last Mott with a fierce cry.

Lucy rushed forward. "Are you hurt?" she asked when she saw how heavily the woman leaned on her left leg.

"I'm fine," the woman replied, her voice rich velvet. "Merely a bruise."

"Thank you for helping me. I don't think I would have made it if you hadn't come along when you did." Lucy offered a tentative smile. The woman was beautiful, but there was a pain in her eyes that made the girl wary. Lucy was usually quite good at reading people, but this woman was a closed book. She masked her emotions well, yet it was clear that she was a warrior that could cut down a whole army if necessary.

The boy, on the other hand, had no such concern. "No problem! We always save people who need it." His enthusiasm and bright smile warmed Lucy's heart. It was truly amazing to be able to talk to people.

"You seemed to hold your own quite well." The woman commented. It felt as if her eyes were piercing Lucy's soul.

With only a split-second of hesitation, she decided to take a leap of faith. Slowly, as to not startle the fierce woman, she unravelled the bandage from her hand, revealing the red, still-healing welt.

Two days ago, a group of men had caught her during the day. Her strength had been depleted, but when she saw them, she knew it was either try or die.

Her eyes had only glowed feebly as the last of her power tried to protect her. It didn't do much, except tip them off on what she was. A _freak_, and they branded her thus. She could still feel the heat of the iron as it seared into her flesh; smell the acrid burning. At least they hadn't done what they initially intended. Being a freak was still regarded as some infectious disease, rather than a matter of evolution.

The woman regarded the Mark with a knowing glint and slight interest. Her guard was still up. Natsu bounded forward, even as the woman held out an arm in protest. "Cool! What can you do?" His eyes glowed with interest.

"I absorb energy from the stars, which gives me an extra strength and speed boost. Also, it heals my wounds." Lucy answered, before realising that it was in fact the first time that she had ever shared her secret with anyone, except her mother. Not even her father had known about her ability. Natsu's childlike trust was contagious. "I'm Lucy."

"The name's Natsu and I can control fire," he told her, as if she hadn't already noticed his incredible gift. He bobbed his head in the older woman's direction, his unruly pink hair spiking out in every direction. "That's Erza, she can be a real stick in the mud, but she's nice," he stage whispered behind the back of his hand. He shot the woman a friendly, almost apologetic smile.

The woman, Erza, nodded in acknowledgement. She still seemed very serious but Lucy didn't miss the smile that tugged at her lips or the way her gaze softened when she looked at the boy. "It's nice to meet you, Lucy. We were happy to help, but I'm afraid we have to get going. Goodbye," Erza ended quite curtly.

"Awh! But Erza," he pleaded, although Lucy had no clue as to what exactly he was pleading for. "Can't she come with?"

Lucy had only met these strangers, yet she was sorely tempted to add her pleas to his as well. Unfortunately, she knew she couldn't. She had a goal to fulfil. "It's alright, Natsu. Thanks for the offer, though. We're probably heading in two completely different directions either way." It literally hurt to say the words, but she knew if she stayed any longer, saying goodbye would become even more difficult.

"Really?" Natsu asked, sounding strangely shocked at the revelation. "We're going to Magnolia. Where are you going?"

Lucy's defences rushed up at those words. What were the odds that two unfamiliar people would save her life in the middle of nowhere and simply happen to be traveling to the same destination? Math had never been one of her strongest points, but even she knew probability was slim to none. Her mind screamed trap and her heart pleaded destiny.

Being more of the intellectual type, Lucy had never had much control of her emotions. Her complete and utter shock must have shone on her face. "You're going there too!" Natsu accused with delight.

"Why, might I ask?" Erza interrupted Lucy's feeble attempts at a protest.

Lucy sighed. She might as well trust them all the way. Natsu might be a challenge and Erza would be able to kill her quickly and easily, but at least with the stars blooming across the sky she could run away if things got hairy. "I need to get to Magnolia to find a friend. He travelled there just before this whole thing started, and I _need_ to find him. He's the only family I have left."

Oblivious to Lucy's emotional state at the revelation, Natsu yelled, "Cool! We can go find him together!"

"We could travel together, if you agree to it. Safety in numbers after all," Erza consented after brief contemplation, although she didn't look too happy about it. Lucy had a feeling that at the first sign of trouble, Erza would have no problem with using Lucy as cannon fodder. For some strange, twisted reason, that made Lucy trust them. It was exactly the type of reaction to expect in times like this. Anything else would have made Lucy suspicious.

"Why are you going to Magnolia?" Lucy asked, even though she had already made her decision.

Erza answered vaguely, "There's been reports of a cure. A professor in Magnolia is said to be the root of the rumour." A cure? Lucy had heard whispers of it, but she's never allowed herself to hope that they were speaking the truth.

The Virus worked in different stages. After infection, it takes about two weeks for symptoms to start showing. Deterioration of the mind, blackouts, violent outbursts, surges in strength and speed…. A month later the last bits of reason (and humanity, she'd like to think) disappeared and is replaced by a monster. At two months the body started to rot from the inside out.

If Lucy had the time, training and equipment, she would have loved to tackle the issue of a cure. But she had none of those things. She satisfied her need to do something against the Virus, by noting behaviour and studying the creatures whenever she came across them, which was quite frequently. If they could perhaps stop the Virus before the body started to decompose, millions could be saved.

Now, even if she hadn't been traveling to Magnolia already, she would have. It was an opportunity to fix the problem, reverse the manmade apocalypse.

The biggest question Lucy had, though, was what on earth could somebody gain from creating these creatures? It was a terrifying thought. That there were people in the world who would do such a vile and unthinkable thing. The Virus has been doing its rounds for three months now, and Lucy had yet to see a goal or reason for it. It didn't seem as if whoever had started this nightmare, was going to stop it anytime soon either.

"Great! It's settled then," Natsu announced jovially. "Let's go!" With purposeful strides he started walking forward in a random direction. Erza stepped forward and gently turned him to the right. Lucy wasn't sure if he even noticed the change. He simply continued walking and started chattering about nonsense.

Erza looked at Lucy when she didn't follow. "It's alright, you can trust me. I mean you no harm." A small smile tugged at her lips. "It seems that I'm making it a habit of mine to pick up strays," she said with a wink and started after the energetic boy.

Again, Lucy hesitated. Coincidence? Too good to be true?

Then, with a firm nod, she chucked all her suspicions to the wind and jogged to catch up to the duo. The risk might be great, but the reward was even sweeter.


	3. Chapter 3: Ruin

**A/N: Thank you so much, **_enchanted-nova _**and **_blog-heart-slover03__**. **_**A special thanks to **_Iceprinceryuu_**; you made my day!**

**Thanks to everyone who favourited and followed. It makes me so happy to know that people are reading my story!**

**Oh, it is a sad day! I'm finished with the Anime and the Manga! Anyone have any good suggestions as to what I should watch next?**

**Reviewing makes me update faster, even when it feels as if an elephant is sitting on my brain! ;)**

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_Previous chapter:_

"Great! It's settled then," Natsu announced jovially. "Let's go!" With purposeful strides he started walking forward in a random direction. Erza stepped forward and gently turned him to the right. Lucy wasn't sure if he even noticed the change. He simply continued walking and started chattering about nonsense.

Erza looked at Lucy when she didn't follow. "It's alright, you can trust me. I mean you no harm. It seems that I'll be making it a habit of mine to pick up strays," she said with a wink and started after the energetic boy.

Again, Lucy hesitated. Coincidence? Too good to be true?

Then, with a firm nod, she chucked all her suspicions to the wind and jogged to catch up to the duo. The risk might be great, but the reward was even sweeter.

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Chapter 3: Ruin

They turned nocturnal. It wouldn't seem as that big a deal for most, but to Lucy it meant the world. Even though the Motts seemed to be more active during the night and would have the upper hand with their night vision, Erza decided to travel during the evening and rest during the day. For Lucy's sake.

As long as she could remember, the sun had always made her feel weak. At night, her dad had his hands full with getting her into bed and to fall asleep (a feat that was almost impossible). Only later did she discover that she was different and that she could do things that other people couldn't. Before her mom died, she told Lucy that she was special, just like her.

_"__The stars are your friends and whenever you need help, they will give you strength. The sun, however, is jealous of how much the stars love you, and he'll steal the magic they give you away. When Mommy goes away, she'll be a star too and she'll give you her strength whenever she can. I'll always be watching over you, Lucy."_

Lucy had thought it a wonderful story at first. Then it became a delicious secret that she clung to desperately when all other memories of her mother started to fade. Now it was the cold, hard truth. Lucy could draw strength from the stars, yet the sun syphoned that power away. Everyone with special abilities had a downside, a side-effect, a drawback. She was insanely powerful at night, but during the day she was completely powerless.

It's only been two days, but she already felt that these two were closer than family. Erza wasn't as forthcoming as Natsu, but the woman was an essential part of the group. She had a magnetic personality. So far, Lucy knew Erza had fought in three different wars all around the world and loved sweet things. The fact that Erza had been in the military cleared up a few things, for example her extreme prowess in battle. It was from shear strength of will, talent and hard training, and not an abnormal ability as Lucy initially thought.

Natsu… well, she could write a whole book on Natsu. She had yet to see him negative. He could get quite angry sometimes (over the weirdest things), but he had a sunny outlook on life that made him a great person to be around. He loved to tell the story of how he and Erza met.

"There I was, lurking in the shadows when I saw Erza surrounded by fifty Motts!" he started again, his eyes wide. "Even though I had never seen her before, I knew it was my duty as a gentleman to save the poor damsel. I attacked with a ball of fire that scared them so bad that half went running. The other half was too stupid to know they were as good as dead already."

He started punching and kicking at imaginary Motts. "Bam! Boom! Whoosh! In seconds, they were all gone. Erza pleaded with me to escort her to her destination, for she could see that I was a skilled warrior. It sounded like fun, so here I am!"

Lucy had a feeling that it wasn't entirely true and an extreme exaggeration, but humoured him nevertheless with a wide-eyed, "Wow, Natsu." He winked at Erza and then skipped ahead to inspect an anthill.

The soft breeze was quite warm and it playfully ruffled her hair, which she pulled up in a haphazard ponytail. It was strange, since winter was fast approaching but Lucy didn't think much of it. When you've seen your preschool teacher chomp down on her Chihuahua, everything kind of gets jolted into perspective.

Natsu kept up a constant stream of inconsequential chatter, whilst Erza was as stoic as ever. Her eyes darted across the landscape, staying vigilant of any shadow that might pose a threat. They decided against using any form of light as to lessen the risk of being seen. Luckily, the moon was shining brightly and lit their path.

Lucy never thought that she would actually miss the sound of insects. No crickets chirping, wings buzzing… just Natsu and the wind. Animals were also scarce. It made her sad, even as she felt relieved that they wouldn't have to watch out for coyotes and wolves as well as the Motts.

"Stop," Erza whispered suddenly. Natsu immediately shuts his mouth and moved closer to the woman. Lucy felt slightly awkward at the sight of how in sync the two were, but followed his lead. Her guard was up and subconsciously, she started drawing more and more energy from the stars in preparation of a fight. She could feel the heat simmering around the younger boy.

Lucy scanned the horizon, but she saw nothing out of place. "Wha-" she started, but Natsu interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

"Smoke," he stated simply. "Over there," and pointed to his right.

Lucy waited. Erza was in charge; she would decide whether or not their little group would carry on in the direction of Magnolia or swerve off the path to check, whatever it was, out.

By the way Erza's jaw was set, Lucy guessed that they would be heading straight forward. Erza seemed extremely determined to get to their destination and by taking a detour, it would add another day to their journey. The tall woman toyed with the fine, golden chain around her neck. Lucy couldn't see a pendant as the tip of the chain hanged low and was covered by her blouse.

With narrowed eyes, Erza made her decision. "Let's go," she said and headed towards where Natsu's finger was still pointing. Lucy simply shrugged and trudged after them. Erza hadn't struck her as the type of person to go off course when on a mission, but she had also long ago learnt to not judge a book by its cover.

Perhaps Natsu had some strange way of sensing fire, as a bonus to his ability, because it took a while before Lucy started smelling the stench of smoke. Actually, the first confirmation of fire had been the tiny white-grey flakes floating on the wind. The nearer they got to the location of the flames, the whiter the ground became. It almost looked as if it was snowing.

The town was situated in a valley, which meant they were practically on top of it before they saw it the first time. A few months ago, the sight would have made Lucy cry but after everything she had seen, it only left her mind numb.

_At least the corpses are charred beyond recognition… At least these people won't become slaves to the Virus…_ A small voice at the back of her mind sighed in relief, and she felt disgust at herself well up inside of her heart.

Erza, Natsu and Lucy stood on top of the hill on the edge of the town and looked out over a blackened landscape that was once a place teeming with life. It must have been quite a large town, since Lucy could barely see its edge. The fire that had destroyed it had long since run its course and only smoking embers and rubble remained.

Lucy watched Erza. The woman looked paler than usual and slightly unsteady. Her eyes were haunted as if she were seeing even more disturbing images than the scene before them.

Lucy reached out and lightly placed her hand on Erza's arm. "We should…." Lucy started, wanting to get as far away from the depressing sight as quickly as possible.

"We should look for survivors," Natsu said firmly and skidded down the steep hill. Gravel and dirt spun out from underneath his feet, clinking and rolling downwards.

With a curt nod, Erza gently shook Lucy's hand off. She followed Natsu's lead and Lucy did too, albeit with a strong sense of hopelessness. What were they hoping to find? There wasn't even a building still standing. The town had been completely flattened, as if a nightmarish beast had torn through it with an insatiable hunger. Searching through the rubble would surely only make them sadder.

They each took a random direction and started looking for any sign of survivors... a survivor. Lucy could hear Natsu's yelling and Erza's piercing whistles. As she ambled on, the sounds faded more and more until she couldn't hear them at all. The silence was frightening. She quickened her pace, her eyes moving automatically over the rubble, not really seeing anything.

When she reached the edge of town, she started circling back, looking for any sign of her newfound friends. Goose bumps were all over her body and she rubbed at her arms to get some semblance of warmth back.

"Come on, Lucy," she told herself aloud, but the words came out hoarsely and sounded strange in the gloomy silence. The farther she went into the centre of town, the colder the wind became.

When her footsteps squelched into the ground, she looked down with a frown. Her sneakers were covered in soggy ash. Did it rain? Was there a leaking pipe somewhere?

She spotted the crimson locks of the elder woman through the debris and hurried towards her. Erza was standing with her back turned towards Lucy, staring at something against a still partially-intact wall.

"Grimoire Heart." Erza's voice was dead and it sent shivers down Lucy's spine. "They did this."

The name sounded familiar…. With shock reverberating through her soul, she remembered where she heard it before.

Grimoire Heart. A gang comprised entirely of people with special abilities.

On the wall was a stencil made in dark red, almost black paint (or at least she hoped it was paint). Their emblem seemed to be a thorny heart.

_They_ did this. They annihilated the entire town. As if the Motts weren't enough to worry about….

"Erza! Lucy!" Natsu's voice echoed over the desolate landscape and broke the two females out of their reveries. "I found someone!"


	4. Chapter 4: Problem

**A/N: **_Iceprinceryuu_**, I didn't plan on updating so quickly but here you go. Specially for you! **

**Thanks also to **_youngdestiny_**for the review!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, nor do I make any profit from publishing these fictional works. Everything, except the plot, belongs to the owners of the Manga/Anime, Fairy Tail.**

**Yeah! My all-time favourite character makes his debut! Am I the only one with a massive crush on him?**

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_Previous chapter:_

Grimoire Heart. A gang comprised entirely of people with special abilities.

_They_ did this. They annihilated the entire town. As if the Motts weren't enough to worry about….

"Erza! Lucy!" Natsu's voice echoed over the desolate landscape and broke the two females out of their reveries. "I found someone!"

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Chapter 4: Problem

Lucy exchanged a startled look with Erza, who looked equally shocked, before sprinting off in the direction of Natsu's voice.

They spotted the boy, kneeling amongst the ruins of what had once been somebody's home. His pink hair couldn't be missed, as it contrasted so brightly against that of their bleak surroundings.

"Where?" Erza demanded, her eyes darting around searching for any sign of life.

Lucy shuffled forward. Natsu was hunched over a heap of rubble. His face was streaked with ash and his hands dirty from digging through the debris. She winced when she saw several wood splinters sticking out from underneath his finger nails. He didn't seem to notice the pain, even as tiny rivulets of blood trickled across his palms.

"Under there," he pointed and leaned back so that the two women could see.

A hand.

The hand was covered in dark grey ash and nothing else could be seen. Lucy suddenly felt guilty. Her search should have been a lot more thorough.

Erza immediately stepped forward and heaved against a wooden beam that laid across the wreckage. She lifted the heavy piece off with ease and threw it away from the bod- injured person. Natsu occupied himself by removing a few large stones and chunks of concrete from the pile. When there was a particularly large piece of rock, Lucy stepped in and threw it off with her enhanced strength.

It felt like forever until she spotted a dark head peeking out from beneath the ruins. With renewed vigour, Erza took the last few pieces of timber from the person's back, and Lucy scooted nearer. The person, a boy, laid on his stomach with only a pair of torn pants on. The boy looked about sixteen, yet most people looked younger when they weren't awake so she couldn't be sure.

Her two fingers automatically flew to his throat. His skin was extremely cold to the touch, as if all life had been drained from it. She sighed in relief when she felt the soft vibrations of a pulse against her fingers. It was slow and weak, but there nonetheless. "He's alive," she breathed and Natsu whooped with joy. He rushed forward, but Erza stopped him before he could touch the boy.

"We need to check for serious injuries first. If we move him and he has a damaged spine, we will only make it worse." Erza explained. Her long, elegant fingers fluttered over the boy's bare back, but she seemed to find nothing alarming.

Then she carefully cupped the boys neck with her one hand and motioned Lucy to his legs. Together, they gently rolled the boy over. He was wet and covered with soot. His dark hair, was caked with watery ash and Lucy couldn't tell if it was dark brown or black in colour. He was lucky, though. Except for a few bruises and first degree burns, he seemed fine.

"We need to get away from here and to shelter. He needs to get warm," Erza commanded calmly. With a nod from Lucy, the two woman walked towards the outskirts of town. Erza supported his upper body and Lucy had her arms looped underneath the boy's legs. Lucy couldn't believe how much lighter she felt when they finally stepped out of that miserable place.

Natsu hovered around them. _Like an anxious butterfly_, she thought and worried for a moment about her sanity.

Unfortunately, the terrain of their surroundings were nothing more than desert with the exception of a few tufts of dry grass and a shrub or two. At the biggest bush, Erza gave up her search for a decent resting place and stopped. At least the bush was positioned on the east side, which meant they were partially sheltered from the wind.

Gently, they placed him on the ground. Lucy couldn't help but admire the boy's physique. He had a lean build and a toned body. Well-muscled but not bulky. Lucy blushed suddenly, when she realized her train of thoughts. Natsu shot her a worried look but refrained from asking.

Erza shrugged her pack from her back. It was a huge box-like structure that didn't look at all comfortable, but she's never complained about it. She zipped open one of the many side bags and took out a plastic ring that she folded out into a bowl of sorts. "Go get some water, Natsu," she told him and he ran off to where they had spotted a small river earlier.

As Erza rummaged through her pack, looking for the First Aid kit she had stashed somewhere in it, Lucy decided to make herself useful by collecting tinder. It had been a dry summer, so at least there was no difficulty in finding dry twigs and leaves.

When she returned to their spot, her hands full, Natsu was sitting cross-legged next to the boy. Erza was on her knees, cleaning the strangers wounds with delicate dabs and… steaming water! Oh, what Lucy wouldn't give for a hot bath! And soap! But she knew that fantasies weren't going to make things any better. Although, she silently promised herself to make Natsu heat up another bowl of water for her. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt clean.

To their surprise, the boy seemed extremely well for someone who had been buried underneath layers of rubble. Despite the few bruises and burns they had noted initially, nothing seemed extremely damaged. His hair was now identifiable as pitch-black and was slightly singed. His pants were torn and tattered, but he was alive. Of course there could still be internal damage, but his breathing had evened out and his pulse was starting to regulate. His skin, though, was still icy cold.

"Here you go," Lucy told Natsu and dumped everything in front of him. He casually flicked his fingers and the pile quickly burst into flames. "Why would they do something like that?" Lucy asked Erza the question that had been burning at the back of her mind.

"Don't know. A gang like that, high on power… it doesn't take much to make them snap." Erza twisted the washcloth into the bowl. The water was now a sooty black. "He seems fine, but we'll need to keep a close eye on him. I'll patrol the perimeter and Lucy, you take first watch." Erza stood up and dusted her legs off. A nasty scrape across her left leg made Lucy lift her eyebrow in worry, but Erza ignored her questioning look.

"Okay," Lucy conceded, pursing her lips. She took her place besides their patient and Natsu spread out the thin blanket he kept tied to his back. Like a cat, he curled up and in seconds, drifted off.

Lucy sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. Now, the wind was definitely colder. Another reason why they had to get to Magnolia. It was the nearest big city, and hopefully it still had some façade of a functioning system. They needed clothes for the winter and the few tins of canned food they had left, would only last them three days at most. With another mouth to feed, those three days became a stretch. Natsu probably had a t-shirt the boy could borrow, but he would have to make do with his current pair of dark jeans. That is, if he woke up.

Lucy couldn't deny that she felt happy that they had found the survivor. It felt good to know that even in these dark times they could save somebody, but if the boy didn't wake up soon, it would put a severe strain on travelling. If they had to fight or run, he would be a liability and… _no_. No, they would cross that bridge when they came to it. For now, Lucy wasn't yet ready to give up common courtesy.

For a moment she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, centring herself. She needed to focus on the important things. Focus on her reason for surviving. Focus on her goal, _him_….

A sudden groan startled her out of her thoughts. Her eyes flew open, immediately landing on the stranger lying on the ground. A sheen of sweat covered his face and bare chest. His brow was furrowed as if in pain. "Natsu, wake up!" she whispered urgently, only just remembering that shouting for Erza was probably not the smartest idea.

Natsu was a grumpy riser and it took a few shakes for him to start noticing his surroundings. "What?" he muttered, glaring at her through narrowed eyelids.

"Go get Erza! Something's wrong," she nodded in the stranger's direction. Natsu took one look at the boy and then quickly struggled up to go find the elder woman.

Lucy felt the boy's forehead. It burned her hand. Only then did she notice the heat radiating from his body. It was reminiscent of when Natsu used his powers. Except, the heat didn't seem to agree with him as well as it did with the fire starter.

Without thinking, she stood up and dragged him away from the fire and into the cold air. She winced in sympathy as she dragged him over the rocky terrain, but there was no helping it.

When she heard pounding footsteps behind her, she spun around in relief. "Erza!" she called out to the woman. "He was burning up. I-" she stopped midsentence at the look of panic that suddenly flashed over Erza's face.

She spun back to the stranger... only to have her wind knocked out of her as she suddenly landed on her back. All of the air in her lungs whooshed out simultaneously with a loud, "Oomph!" An ethereal blue light filled her vision before the world spun out of control.

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**I'm going camping for a week, so I won't be able to update until 18 August, but if I get a review from at least half of my followers, I will try to update before we leave tomorrow. Readers, the fate of updating rests in your hands….**


	5. Chapter 5: Discovery

**A/N: Okay, **_TMI Studios_**, I procrastinated on packing my bags to get this finished and posted, since you seemed so ****_passionate_****about it. To be honest, you kind of scared me! ;) Fear is a great motivator! Kidding, but I loved your enthusiasm.**

**Huge thank you to **_blog-heart-slover03 _**and **_NaLuLover4evr _**for the reviews. You guys are great!**

**I feel so guilty to leave you guys when I just started this fic, but as soon as I get back I'll update. Enjoy!**

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_Previous chapter:_

When she heard pounding footsteps behind her, she spun around in relief. "Erza!" she called out at the woman. "He was burning up. I-" she stopped midsentence at the look of panic that suddenly flashed over Erza's face.

She spun back to the stranger, only to have her wind knocked out of her as she landed on her back. All of the air in her lungs whooshed out simultaneously with a loud, "Oomph!" An ethereal blue light filled her vision before the world spun out of control.

* * *

Chapter 5: Discovery

What the…?

Lucy struggled to get oxygen back to her brain. She propped herself up on her elbows even as her vision swam in and out of focus.

Erza rushed to her side to check if she was okay, but Lucy waved her away. Strength was already flowing back into her muscles. "Get him," she wheezed.

The unknown boy's eyes were wild with fear and panic. His dark blue eyes were glazed over and unseeing. "Where are they?" he roared. Mist of some kind circled his ankles and fists; hazy tendrils whipping at air.

"Hey!" Natsu yelled back and his fists burst into flames. "Didn't anybody ever tell you not to hit girls?" Clearly, no one had taught Natsu tact, because even as the strange boy swayed on his feet, he attacked.

_Well, he's dead_, Lucy thought. There was no way that anyone could withstand the heat of Natsu's flames when he was this fired up. He wasn't anywhere near her, yet she could feel the heat from those tongues of fire as they danced around his body.

Lucy thought of herself as a knowledgeable person. Before this whole thing started, she was going to graduate top of her class. She's always been smart and knew when to listen. Therefore, she would think that everything she had survived so far would have taught her to _never_ judge someone too quickly.

"Ah!" With a loud yell, the black-haired boy slammed his fist into the ground and a see-through barrier appeared in a swirl of blue light. The flames clashed against it, making only a thin layer melt.

For some reason that made Lucy angry. Stupid guy! They save his ass and now he waltzes in here and proves her wrong! Who did he think he was? Yup, insanity might not be too far off.

Natsu darted back from the translucent barrier, with a crazed grin plastered across his face. He took a deep breath, bulging his cheeks, and placed his two hands over his lips. Then he literally blew fire. Lucy's jaw dropped to the floor. Who could have guessed that the fifteen year old boy with a slight height impairment was this powerful?

The barrier, which Lucy now realised was made out of ice, sublimated in the fierce heat, becoming steam. It billowed out into the night.

Lucy struggled up to go help Natsu, but Erza gripped her arm. "He is quite capable of handling a half-conscious opponent." Her smile seemed kind of scary. "Besides, he needs to get rid of all that pent-up energy."

Lucy felt slightly confused, but it was easy to admit that Erza was the wisest amongst them. So, she simply sat back on her hunches and watched as fire and ice clashed.

Now she understood why the boy's skin was so cold and why he would have reacted so violently to the heat of the fire. That must be his drawback. Something to do with withstanding extremely warm temperatures. Of course she would have to inspect his abilities better and more closely if she wanted to be certain of how exactly it worked.

"Ha! Take that, you popsicle!" Natsu shouted before rapidly throwing flaming orbs at the other boy's head. Lucy got the feeling that her fiery friend was only toying with the stranger. When she had seen him fighting the Motts, he had taken three out with a single blast.

The boy was very agile and easily dodged the first few attacks. Unfortunately, the last blazing sphere hit him squarely in the chest. He flew backward, skidding across the sand.

Natsu grinned unabashed. The other boy propped himself up on one knee and glared at Natsu. His dark eyes blazed with anger. He slammed his open palms against the ground, frigid air wafting around his arms. Without warning, huge spikes of ice started jutting out of the ground making a straight path towards Natsu.

Natsu jumped up into the air and with a few expertly executed backflips avoided his attack.

Something in the air shifted. Maybe it was the sudden drop in temperature or the increase in air pressure, but Lucy knew that the strange boy was getting serious. Erza seemed to sense it too, because she stood up and circled closer to the boy.

"Calm down," she soothed with her velvety voice, her hands spread out in front of her. She neared as one would near a frightened animal.

The black-haired boy struggled up and clutched at his side with a hiss. He must have hurt something in the fall. He was frowning either from confusion or pain, but it didn't look as if he would attack. That was of course before Natsu blew another horizontal column of flame his way.

Immediately, as if from instinct, an icy spike elongated his right hand and jutted out from his left elbow. It was a terrifying sight.

Before he could attack, though, Erza made her move. She tackled him head-on, capturing him in a bear-hug. The icy spikes shattered into powdery snow, probably from loss of focus.

"Let me go! I need to save him! I need to save my brother!" The boy screamed. He fought like a rabid animal to get free. His face was twisted with rage and tears glittered in his eyes. Lucy wanted nothing more than to comfort the poor boy, but knew not to interfere. The boy didn't need comfort right then, he needed a cold slap of reality.

Erza had him immobilised, her arms pinning his to his sides. "Oh yeah? And you're going to go get him? You, a guy who just got beaten by a kid?" she sneered in his ear. Lucy noticed that Erza erased herself from that equation to get the maximum effect. Who knew the woman had a flare for drama?

"Hey!" Natsu protested unhappily, but was promptly ignored by everyone.

As if an invisible switch was flicked, the boy seemed to lose all fight. He hung limply in Erza's arms as if the very strength to simply breathed had been drained out of him. Erza relaxed her grip slightly, but not much in case he was pulling a trick to try and escape.

"Grimoire Heart has some of the most powerful people on the planet; you don't stand a chance," she told him. Her tone had softened slightly, but it was still serious enough to emphasise her words.

"I don't care," he choked out. "He gave his life for mine. I _need_ to save him." His spine stiffened with renewed determination.

Erza's eyes met Lucy's. Both of them could clearly see that there was no dissuading the boy from his goal. He had made up his mind. No matter how many speeches they gave him about revenge being a dead-end or how he would surely die if he tried, he was going after Grimoire Heart.

"Who?" Natsu interrupted, his voice surprisingly compassionate. "Who do you need to save?"

The boy's head jerked up to look at Natsu. There was still a competitive spark in his eyes , but the intense hatred had disappeared. Somehow, somewhere, Natsu had earned his respect. "My twin brother, Lyon," he said and then, with a sigh, added. "The name's Gray."

"Nice to meet you!" And just like that, Gray was forgiven. Natsu grinned at the person he was trying to cook alive barely a minute ago.

Lucy couldn't help but smile as well. Natsu simply had that effect on people. A natural ability to make the world seem a little bit brighter without even trying.


	6. Chapter 6: Vow

**A/N: Thank you once again to **_TMI Studios_**, **_Iceprinceryuu _**and **_Cindy M 19 _**for your kind, enthusiastic reviews. It's one of the reasons why writing this is so much fun – your support.**

**Also, big thanks to everyone following and favouriting. It means a lot.**

**Oh, and I've finally decided this will be a LucyxLoke story. Sorry, NaLu lovers! I did say in the first chapter that they will have a brother/sister kind of relationship. **

**Warning: I'm immigrating, which means I might not be able to update as much. I apologise profusely, but it can't be helped. As soon as I'm settled in, I'll start publishing again or whenever I have time. **

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_Previous chapter:_

Erza's eyes met Lucy's. Both of them could clearly see that there was no dissuading the boy from his goal. He had made up his mind. No matter how many speeches they gave him about revenge being a dead-end or how he would surely die if he tried, he was going after Grimoire Heart.

"Who?" Natsu asked his voice surprisingly compassionate. "Who do you need to save?"

The boy's head jerked up to look at Natsu. There was still a competitive spark in his eyes, but the intense hatred had disappeared. Somehow, somewhere, Natsu had earned his respect. "My twin brother, Lyon," he said and then, with a sigh, added. "The name's Gray."

* * *

Chapter 6: Vow

Introductions were made, but Erza got right to the point. She wasn't one for chitchat. When lives were at stake, she threw polite conversation out of the cart. "Tell me exactly what happened," she demanded with a voice that left no room for argue. "Why did Grimoire Heart attack?"

Gray looked back, to where his hometown now lay in ruins. For a moment, it looked as if he would protest and head back there, but with a resigned sigh, he gave in to Erza's piercing gaze.

"They demanded we pay for their help defending us from the Motts. The mayor couldn't pay, not again. They took everything we had the last time they came through. They said it was fine, they just wanted a bed and a warm meal, then. The mayor was too relieved; he didn't suspect a thing." He paused. His eyes stared off into the night and Lucy knew he was reliving those memories as he told them. Every painful detail, every single regret. He was seeing it all again.

"My mom wanted to leave as soon as they arrived. She knew they meant trouble. Dad said we'd wait until the next day, get a good night's sleep. Mom packed, and we worried. Lyon and I, we thought it a good idea to go and spy on them, see if we could find out about their plans. I can't remember which of us came up with such a stupid plan, but we did it. Crouched beneath their window, as if we could ever…." A snort of derision and self-hate. Lucy's heart burned.

"Midnight. They would set the town ablaze at midnight. Midnight, and it was ten to twelve. In our haste to get away, to warn people – save lives – I accidently overturned a garbage can. As it clattered loudly in the alleyway, I knew I was going to die. I would be dead, if it weren't for Lyon. He was always the smarter one, better at controlling ice... the elder twin. And that's exactly what he told them. When Grimoire Heart rushed outside, he told them he wanted to join them. Me, his useless twin, came to stop him, so to prove a point he knocked me out and must have frozen me in ice. They didn't know that the ice hadn't… couldn't kill me." Next, his voice was so soft that Lucy strained to hear it.

"Are you sure everyone's dead? Are you sure they're all gone?" He asked.

Erza nodded gravely. "The town has been levelled. We found only you. I'm sorry." She paused and it seemed as if she wanted to say more, but then went back to gazing into the fire.

"They are all dead," he said emotionlessly, as if the words were still trying to sink in. Then shook his head, dispelling the memories from his mind. "And that's why I need to find him. He's the only family I have left. He saved my life and now I have to save his. It's what brothers do." Gray spoke those last words with complete confidence. Not in his ability to actually save his brother from the merciless gang, but in his willingness to try with everything he had.

Silence reigned in their small camp. Lucy didn't know what to say. _Sorry for your loss? I know how you feel? _Those would be meaningless sentences.

Didn't she hate everyone who told her those exact same words when her mother died? Didn't she want – no, crave revenge as well? Unfortunately, you can't attack a sickness, spit at a disease. Yes, she cursed it into the deepest depths of the Underworld and cried until her eyes felt rusted shut. It didn't bring her mother back.

Lucy knew that, so she did the only thing she could. She offered him companionship. By simply not letting him be alone. She knew what that had meant to her.

Erza's eyes looked haunted as she mulled over her own loss. Or that's how it seemed to Lucy. The woman was still shrouded in mystery, but she was only human after all. Secrets are an essential part of being alive. But Lucy promised to be there if Erza ever needed a kind ear or a strong shoulder. It was the least she could do.

Natsu stared at his toes, but his eyes blazed with emotion. The boy with the big heart had taken in another resident. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I need to find Grimoire Heart. The nearest city is Magnolia, so I guess I'll go look there for news on their whereabouts," he answered with a shrug.

Natsu nearly vibrated with joy. "That's where we're going too! You should travel with us."

"Yes," Erza agreed.

Lucy couldn't tell if she'd simply taken a liking to Gray or if she was merely allowing him to tag along with them. Either way, the relief was evident in his eyes. Gray seemed like a complete introvert, but these days, people kept one sane.

Lucy felt the night shift. It was always darker before the dawn. She saw Natsu's eyelids droop.

"If it's alright, I'll take first watch," Gray broke the silence. Gravity. He had such gravity.

Even though she knew Erza would most likely stay awake too, to keep watch on the new guy, she appreciated the gesture. He was extending a hand of friendship, of trust. A thank you and an apology of sorts.

Natsu grabbed at the chance to hit the hay, and with a huge yawn, that Lucy couldn't help but mimic with a wry smile, he stretched out on the flimsy blanket. It was a little damp in one corner from an icy encounter and a black hole was singed into the middle of it, but he didn't seem to mind.

Seeing as the stars were still out, Lucy shuffled closer to the dwindling fire and shoved her fingers at it. Erza gave her a questioning look and she nodded, knowing what the redhead wanted. _If she was going to stay awake, she might as well keep an eye on the lookout. _

The fire crackled and spluttered, and with a soft hiss, it died about half an hour later. Lucy sighed. Her fingers weren't that much warmer. She tugged the bandage off her right hand and rubbed her thumb over the puckered skin. She still couldn't quite come to terms with the fact that it was there.

When she felt eyes on her, she looked up to find Gray staring at the… her Mark. He offered a sympathetic smile as his eyes met hers, and blushed at being caught staring. Lucy felt relieved when he didn't ask about her abilities.

Gray absentmindedly rubbed at his neck and then seemed startled. He looked around, his eyes wide. "Did you-" he paused, patting at his pants' pockets. Relief spread across his face as he found what he was looking for in his left pocket. He pulled out a chain with an ornate cross dangling from it. It was beautiful.

He slipped it over his neck and patted the pendant, as if to reassure himself that it was still there. This time, he was the one who caught her staring. He didn't break eye contact, but frowned. "I don't want revenge, you know," he told her.

Startled, but not wanting to show it, Lucy asked, "What do you want, then?" She was genuinely curious after all.

"Grimoire Heart killed my mother, my father, everyone I knew… but I know that if it had been me who died, I wouldn't want them to seek revenge on my behalf. I would want them to live their lives to the full, and only cherish the moments they had with me." His eyes shone with sincerity.

Lucy would never have imagined such wise words coming from someone that looked, for all intents and purposes, like your stereotypical jock.

"The only reason I'm going after them, is to get Lyon back." He clutched the cross in his hand until his knuckles were white and his fist shook. "I _will_ get him back."

Lucy didn't doubt him for a second.


	7. Chapter 7: Dream

**N: This chapter is for **_iceprinceryuu_**. Thank you so much for all of your reviews and feedback. They never disappoint to warm my heart! 3**

**Thanks you to everyone who followed or favourited the story. It would mean a lot if you could leave a review… *hint-hint* ;)**

**Whew! My first update from my new home. An extra long chapter to celebrate! **

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_Previous Chapter:_

"The only reason I'm going after them, is to get Lyon back." He clutched the cross in his hand until his knuckles were white and his fist shook. "I _will_ get him back."

Lucy didn't doubt him for a second.

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Chapter 7: Dream

She knew it was a dream the moment it started. In the past few months, nightmares were common.

Shadows stretching, reaching…

Flames flickering, consuming…

Lucy had to learn quickly how to change the course of her dreams in order to get some (if any) sleep.

Maybe it was the surreal brightness, or maybe it was because she felt so tiny, but this time it didn't feel like a nightmare. She stared down at her fingers: short and chubby little fingers. Her hands were small as well, and it suddenly seemed more like a memory than a dream.

The landscape slowly taking shape around her was so familiar. It tugged at her mind, trying hard to convey some sort of message across. Although she was most likely going to wake up in a cold sweat, the promise of a sweet memory of her childhood dangled in front of her. It was an irresistible risk and without a second though, she decided to go with it.

The park she was currently standing in was beautiful. Vibrant green grass was dotted with tiny pink flowers. The sun felt warm on her face and arms and for once, it didn't make her even slightly nauseas. A set of swings and a merry-go-round were at the centre of the field and small children played on it, giggling with delight.

The memory tickled at the back of her mind. She frowned and tried to drag it away from the dusty shelves of her mind.

_Oh!_ She realised. It was the day she met _him_.

With excited anticipation, she whirled around and there he was, exactly as she remembered him. His untameable orange hair stood out at all ends. A few twigs and leaves were weaved through his locks and his knees and face were covered in dirt and scrapes.

She had walked to him, she recalled, and did just that. It was ironic how he had been the shy one when they were younger, but as soon as he blossomed into a fine-looking teenager, his confidence rose with his height. On the other hand, when Lucy was younger, she had been the outgoing girl who made friends with everyone, but as soon as puberty struck, she started to withdraw into herself and into her books. As if the thought triggered something, the dream shifted, melting away, before she could stick out her hand and demand his friendship as she did that day.

In a swirl of purple, yellow and blue, the scene morphed into darkness and the darkness changed into… books.

Books lined the circular walls of the library that had been her escape so many times as an adolescent. She breathed in the smell that could only be described as knowledge in her mind. Musty and old and… good.

_It feels so real_, she thought, as she stroked the backs of her childhood friends with nostalgia. She knew it wasn't though. It could only be a dream. And even if the sight sent pangs of longing through her soul, she didn't try to wake up but willed the dream to last.

She went to sit by one of the tables. Not the comfy chairs in the corners perfect for curling up in, but the hard-backed chairs at the tables. She was looking for something. Her fingers traced along the underside of the table's ridge… and she felt those familiar etches. Tears welled up beneath her eyes.

_L+L_

Carved into the wood were their initials. The memory of it was as vivid as the full moon on a clear summer's night, but she knew that that was all it was – a memory. The Great Library was long gone, having been burnt to the ground in the first wave of Mott attacks. Cinders and ash. The books were no more.

"Lucy!" she heard a voice yell from behind her.

Her heart skipped a beat and her soul sang with utter joy. She would recognise the voice anywhere. She spun around with excitement. A grin spread across her face… but the face staring back at her, the face of her best friend, her lifeline, was shrouded in a menacing shadow.

"What-" she choked out in surprise.

The dark shape stepped forward. "Lucy," he whispered. "Promise?"

She tried to take a step back, but bumped into the table. The voice wasn't that of the boy she trusted with her life. It was sinister - evil.

"Promise?" _it _asked again, for she refused to think of it as _him_. This shadowy creature was not anything like _him_. "Promise me?" it insisted.

"I… I did promise," she stuttered, falling over the words. She wasn't lying; she was merely confirming that she did in fact promise something.

"Yeah. _Yes_, you did promise me." It took a step forward and the shadow fell away, revealing the face that was more familiar to her than her own was. The smile that tugged at his lips held the same cockiness as the last time she had seen him when he left for Magnolia. Before the Motts ruined everything.

He held his pinkie out in her direction. It was an action so at odds with his looks that she couldn't help but giggle. His smile widened and she dutifully curled her own little finger around his. "I'll always have your back," he promised her with a wink.

Unfortunately, it was exactly that moment that Natsu deemed it fitting to be her extra early wake-up call. Something started prodding her cheek and shoulder in turns.

Lucy groaned. For a split-second, she was stuck between sleep and wakefulness. It was an oddly peaceful feeling, and if it weren't for that accursed, _insistent_ poking cruelly shattering through the mirage, she would have been able to enjoy it more thoroughly.

Her eyes fluttered open and her body went rigid. Natsu's face was mere inches from hers, his finger poised to strike again.

"Don't. You. Dare," she hissed at him, her eyes narrowing to give him the meanest glare she could muster.

Of course, it had no effect on him. He merely jumped up with a triumphant grin plastered across his face. "Great! You're finally awake," he exclaimed and she winced as a headache throbbed painfully at the back of her mind.

The sun was shining above her head in all its glory, making her feel as weak as a newborn puppy. She struggled up into a sitting position. Rubbing at her tender shoulder, she asked, "Why did you wake me?" because for the life of her she could not see a plausible reason for it.

It was almost midday; she couldn't hurt a fly. She had taken first watch, so that couldn't be it. It didn't look as if Motts were attacking or as if anybody was facing imminent death… well, except Natsu perhaps if he didn't stop prancing about with all that _darn_ energy!

"Erza spotted a couple of people traveling this way. We need to go check it out and ask for any news," he told her.

Oh, okay, that _might_ be it.

"And why can't _Erza_ go ask them?" she asked even as realisation dawned, too irritated to care.

The aforementioned redhead was sitting cross-legged with her back to the sheltering bush. Her narrowed eyes watched the horizon intently. Her left hand fingered the machete she kept who knows where as if Motts might come running any moment. Which, granted, could happen. Even without any real emotion on her face, she looked incredibly scary.

Now that she thought about it, Gray was out of the question as well. Not simply because he was still new, but because even in his sleep he looked something akin to a grumpy thundercloud. He frowned at something in a dream, and Lucy couldn't help but worry at what.

Natsu simply shot a bland look her way in answer to her question, before returning to the task of trying to tie a strip of white cloth around his bicep where his Mark was. Erza stood up after watching him fail to succeed for the third time. "Let me help," she offered.

"I can do it, thank you," he said stubbornly between clenched teeth. He frowned in concentration and finally he succeeded in covering the Mark. "Told ya!" he grinned proudly.

Erza turned to Lucy and raised an enquiring brow. Lucy held out her hand, graciously accepting the offer since she knew that her attempts would only frustrate her. Erza quickly rolled the strip of cloth across, under and around her palm a few times, hiding her Mark well.

After thanking Erza, Lucy shrugged the pink, tattered backpack onto her shoulders. She had found it about two weeks ago when she started for Magnolia. It had lain abandoned in the middle of a dusty road. Lucy remembered thinking of whom it might have belonged to and what might have happened to its little owner. Tiny cats covered the front of it and an '_M'_ marked the label on the inside.

The weak autumn sun battered her mercilessly, tapping her strength. "Let's get this over with," she told Natsu with an '_exceptional'_ amount of enthusiasm. He had his own pack on his back and hooked his thumbs through the straps.

"Before we go, you might want to splash some water on your face," Natsu told her and threw a plastic bottle in her general direction.

It landed in front of her feet with a dull thud and slosh. Sluggishly, she picked it up and unscrewed the cap before thinking to ask, "Why?"

If possible, his grin widened. "We wouldn't want them to mistake you for a Mott!" he said with a glint in his eyes, before quickly skipping ahead and out of reach. Lucy had a suspicion that he was being extra annoying on purpose.

Lucy growled low in her throat. "Why is he so perky?" she demanded from Erza.

"Gray told us of a shortcut he knows that could cut our days of travelling to a maximum of two." The woman answered. "The sight of the end of a journey such as this lightens my heart as well."

Lucy sighed. She couldn't feel mad at him anymore, since the prospects of arriving at their destination three days ahead of schedule was a giddy realisation.

Grudgingly she emptied half of the bottle over her face, knowing that dark shadows probably lined her eyes and layers of dust covered her skin. She watched the muddy brown water drip from her chin and seep into the parched desert ground. She could almost imagine the water disappearing down the drain after a hot shower. Almost. Not even her imagination was that good.

"Good luck. Don't introduce yourselves. Don't ask personal questions, and don't reveal anything personal either. Straightforward." Erza told her. Lucy nodded and started after Natsu.

Erza's knuckles went white as she clenched her machete in her left hand. They needed news, but she couldn't help but feel worried. She knew Natsu could protect them easily, but still a frown lined her forehead as she watched the party of two trudges through the sand to where the travellers were spotted.

To Lucy, it felt as if though she was breathing sandpaper in the humid weather. At least the wind was still. Yes, it made the heat even more unbearable but she could only imagine what it would feel like to be buffeted by the grainy sand.

She sighed softly and willed her legs to move. Natsu would be perfectly fine on his own, but Erza probably knew that he lacked somewhat in the diplomacy department. Oh well, she should see this as practice. The last few days had been a blessing, traveling during the night and sleeping during the day, but she had to get used to being awake during the again. Civilisation generally frowned on people wandering the streets at night. In the darkness, the city belonged to hoodlums, murderers and thieves.

In the distance, she could see two shapes approaching, growing larger by the second. Lucy made sure to look as nonthreatening as possible, but friendly at the same time. The two people walking towards them seemed to be in their early thirties. The man had a bushy beard and wore a pair of dark sunglasses. He was leaning heavily on a cane. The woman had long brown hair twisted in a braid and carried most of their luggage. They didn't look like bandits or infected, but Lucy neared them warily, stopping at once when she was sure they were in hearing distance.

"Greetings!" the woman shouted exuberantly. She wore a flowery dress with extremely bright colours. It seemed to fit her tone of voice perfectly "Any encounters with those _ghastly _creatures recently?"

Lucy smiled. "We last saw a few about three days ago, to the South-east. Any news from Magnolia?" Short and straightforward.

The woman's smile wavered. "Magnolia is not what it was. A great wall was erected to protect the inhabitants of the city. Nothing can enter. We were heading there in the hopes of finding shelter against the _ghastly_ creatures, but we were denied entrance. Apparently, there is a _ghastly_ entrance fee. Oh, how I wished we could have seen it!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy could see Natsu worriedly chewing at his lower lip. Lucy felt the same worry gnawing in her stomach. She had nothing of worth, but she had to get into the city.

"Also, the _ghastly_ gangs are running rampant through the streets. By the sound of it, I think I'd rather face those _ghastly_ Motts!" she said with a shaky laugh that made it evident that she meant the opposite of what she was saying. Her eyes darted nervously to her partner.

Before Lucy could respond, Natsu spoke up. "Which gangs?" he demanded, thinking of Gray and his mission.

The woman seemed delighted by his impolite tone of voice. Definitely not normal…. Her eyes lighted up as they landed on him. "Awh, how adorable!" she exclaimed, which made Natsu pout in annoyance. "Well, there's Phantom Lord, a _ghastly_ bunch of violent freaks, and Zodiac, who's all for humanitarian rights for those _ghastly_ freaks. The walls might keep the ghastly Motts out, but if it weren't for the Freedom Fighters running the place, those _ghastly_ freak-gangs would probably have wiped out the entire city by now."

A bitter taste entered Lucy's mouth at those words. How can people be so prejudiced? Anger bubbled in her stomach. "Thanks, we'll be going now," she said coolly and started walking away.

Natsu didn't look too happy about leaving. His ears were red and his eyes sparked with anger, but he followed after her with stiff steps. She was grateful that he didn't protest, since she just wanted to get as far away from that woman as possible. It was almost as if the woman's words had crawled underneath her skin; making her mind itch and burn with a _ghastly_ feeling to question but she didn't possess the ability to form coherent sentences from those emotions.

"You!" a voice laced with venom hissed from behind them. Cold fingers whispered down her spine.

Even through his dark glasses, Lucy could feel his eyes blazing with fury as he stared at the boy next to her. Hatred seemed to roll off him in waves.

Lucy slowly moved her eyes to look at Natsu in her peripheral vision since her sight was glued to the threatening man. What could the boy have done to elicit such an extreme reaction?

The blood drained from her face, as her eyes widened and she cursed inside of her head. A coil from the bandage had come loose and sagged only just, but it was enough to give a clear indication as to what it hid.

The man's cane dropping into the sand drew her full attention back to him. He swayed where he stood; stumbling slightly to his left and then to his right. For some reason he struck her as being intoxicated. Veins bulged out on his forehead and arms, webbing out to the rest of his temples and hands as he forcefully tried to take a step forward.

Unsurprisingly, he failed and fell over his own feet. The woman's eyes widened with fear and she quickly scuttled forward to catch him in the nick of time. With a strength that was totally at odds with his drunken demeanour, he shoved her away and she fell down into the sand.

His dark sunglasses tipped off his nose, falling into the sand at his feet. The whites of his eyes were burnt orange and the irises that might have been a soothing caramel or a twinkling blue in the past, were pitch black as if the pupils had leaked out into it.

_Mott – Stage two. Perhaps three or four weeks since infected. _Her brain unhelpfully supplied.

"You did this!" the man gurgled, spittle spewing in every direction. "You… Freaks! It all fault _you_!" His words came out in a chaotic jumble. Each word seemed to be a dagger he jabbed in their direction.

Lucy hated herself right then. Her body stood frozen. All of her muscles were locked. Just the thought of moving was a torturous idea.

Natsu's face reflected a mixture of shock and confusion as he stared at the man. "Please," he started, but had no words beyond that plea. He looked helplessly at Lucy. In his eyes, she saw the future. There was only one way this scenario could end.

In the second that they took their eyes of the infected man, he seemed to snap. The orange of his eyes turned blood red and the black dotted a sickly yellow.

_Five weeks since infected. _

_More Mott than human._

_Dead._

With a whining keel that sung through the air with piercing intensity, the man tore at his hair in something akin to frustration. Lucy didn't know if frustration was the right word, since that hinted that the man might still be human. A ripping sound came from the man and at first, Lucy thought it might be a growl of sorts. It sounded like material tearing. Horrified, Lucy looked on as the man- the Mott tore his hair from his head with one last screech. The dirty hair came out in clumps, blood clotting the tips reminiscent of bizarre paintbrushes.

Faster than Lucy would think possible the Mott lunged towards the fire-starter, bloody hands outstretched. Natsu darted out of the way, spinning on his left foot. The glow emanating from the boy's hands strengthened into a pulsing flame whipping around wildly in a non-existent breeze. There was doubt in the boy's eyes. He hoped that the small show of his powers would make the Mott hesitate.

The flame succeeded in making the Mott pause, but the woman seemed to take this as her cue to take action. "Don't hurt him!" she screamed, her voice cracking. She struggled up, visibly limping, but rushed to the side of the creature who was once somebody she loved.

The woman grabbed its arm with one hand and reached out towards his face with the other. "Come on! Fight it!" she insisted. A fierce fire suddenly burned in her eyes. "You've got to fight it!" Tears streamed down her cheeks, but her voice didn't waver.

But her desperate passion was not enough to save him from the virus that was slowly consuming the world.

The Mott didn't even look at her. It kept its eyes focused on the flames dancing at Natsu's fingertips. The woman cupped the Mott's cheek with her palm that got his attention for a mere second. With a dismissive flick of its arm, it shrugged her off. She spun through the air, hitting the ground with a sickening crack. Lucy flinched as blood pooled around the woman's head. The woman stared at the blue sky with unseeing eyes.

A scream was lodged in her throat, seemingly making her choke on nothing. Sensing the weakness, the Mott's eyes flickered to her instinctively. Before it could make any move towards her, Natsu coated his hand in a giant ball of flame. Not fearing, or maybe not recognising, its imminent death the Mott merely grinned sloppily with drool and blood dripping from its chin. Grim-faced, Natsu stared at the monster that had once been a man. It was a lot more difficult to destroy something with the fresh reminder that it had once been a person with a family, feelings and conscious thought.

Who was he before the epidemic? A builder or a watchmaker? A sailor or a teacher? Did he live in a cottage or a mansion? Parents? Children?

Lucy knew she was only hurting herself with this way of thinking, but she couldn't stop the thoughts buzzing around, insisting to be heard – acknowledged. What was his fondest childhood memory? Did he like chocolate? What was his first pet's name?

She felt nauseas.

Natsu flung the fire at the Mott, focusing on making it hotter than ever before. When the flames touched the Mott, it was incinerated instantaneously. The charred flesh crumbled to dust and the ash scattered across the endless plains.

"Let's go," Natsu said. His voice was kind but his eyes hollow. "Erza would want to know what happened."

Lucy followed numbly.


End file.
